D. Mennie et al., IDENTIFICATION OF STERENE COMPOUNDS PRODUCED DURING THE PROCESSING OFEDIBLE OILS, HRC. Journal of high resolution chromatography, 17(12), 1994, pp. 831-838
Samples of maize, rapeseed, soyabean, sunflower, and palm oils, collec
ted at different stages in their respective refining processes, have b
een analyzed for the presence of dehydrated sterols (sterenes). A tota
l of fifteen compounds were detected, Four have been characterized usi
ng model systems designed to investigate their formation. Their elemen
tal composition, and that of the other eleven sterenes, was determined
by high resolution mass spectrometry and structures assigned to a fur
ther six compounds. These included the -3,5-, -2,5-, -4,6-,-3,5,22-, a
nd -4,6,22- sterenes, Sterenes were not present in crude or alkali neu
tralized oils, Bleaching introduced a maximum concentration of 5 mu g
g(-1) of total sterenes into the edible oils, Deodorization is the dom
inant stage in sterene production resulting in a maximum total concent
ration of 163 mu g g(-1). This increased concentration arises due to d
ehydration of the sterols and considerable isomerism of the sterenes.